Finding love again

Besides the Dying Fire

Callie's POV:

  I firmly press against my wound to stop the bleeding as I walk on the other side of Carl so he's in the middle between Rick and I.

  We're heading back to the house. How am I gonna explain this to Frank? He's gonna be so devastated. "You guys bit too?" Carl asks as he glances at the two of us.

  "No, it's a gunshot wound," I answer at the same time as Rick who tells him no.

  "From Randall?" Carl questions and looks at me in concern.

  "No," I say with a shake of my head and wipe a tear that fell down my cheek.

  "So Shane was bit," he says with a frown and looks towards his dad.

  "That wasn't Shane. You know that," Rick tells him in a gentle tone. We're about halfway there to the house.

  Maggie may just kill me for showing up like this. "Used to be," Carl adds making all of us stay silent. Yeah used to be.

  But he wasn't the Shane we used to know. "What happened? You guys attacked? I mean... I mean I heard two gunshots but I didn't see any walkers nearby. How did Shane die?" He continued questioning.

   Rick stops walking to face him and he looks at me. I look down. The truth would be the better thing to tell him.

   Growling made me look to the side and my eyes widen in shock. Holy shit! "Oh my god. Callie, come on. Go go go go go," Rick breathes out in a whisper and pushes against my back with Carl next to me.

  We stay low and quiet as we run towards a tree. "We- we gotta get to the house, tell the others," Carl whispers in a frantic tone.

  "We'll never get through that. Can't go around. Carl, stay close to me and your aunt. Ready?" Rick whispers back and looks at me at the end making me nod.

  "Go!" We take off towards the barn going between some walkers that are spread out. I shoot at one that got too close to Carl.

  It falls dead to the ground. Thank god for silencers. We make it towards the barn and run in while Rick closes the door.

   I grab a metal pitch fork and slid it through the handles just as the walkers bang against it snarling. "It's not gonna hold," I state as the wood creaks.

   Rick looks around and nods. "Each of you grab a gas can," he says picking up a gas can from the pile next of hay.

  I slid my handgun back in the slot and pick up a gas can then follow Rick's lead by pouring it out onto the ground. The walkers are tearing this barn apart.

"Up there. Hurry," Rick calls out and points at the ladder that leads up to top layer of the barn.

"Well, what about you?" Carl quickly asks as he stops in front of the ladder.

"I'll be right there. Go on. Callie, drop the lighter when I say. We'll stop some of them from reaching the house and distract the others, so at least we'll have a chance. Callie, Carl, I love you," Rick answers in a hurried tone and I shove the lighter in my pocket with a nod.

"Go up, Carl. Go go go," I gently push the boy up the ladder and follow behind him quickly. Gotta admit Rick comes up with good plans under pressure.

I groan slightly from the pain in my wound as I fully get up the ladder. Carl and I move to the side watching as Rick opens the doors and calls for the walkers that limps towards him.

Carl grabs onto my hand tightly and I give him a gentle squeeze. "Callie, now!" Rick calls out and I flick the lighter on then dropped it in the gas that's on the ground.